A Home Needs Two Things: Family and Love
by kingleo18
Summary: James and Sarah haven't seen each other in 4 years. Once back together the two sense something between them. But will things that happened while they were apart keep them from each other? Adventure, Romance, Truimph, Hardships. What else will be in store?
1. Introduction

_**I do not own Liberty's Kids. Please enjoy this story and sorry for the rather large gap inbetween this and my previous story. A lot of things have happened since then and now. Anyway here is the main event!**_

**A Home Needs Two Things: Family and Love**

Introduction (James' POV)

_December 18__th__, 1815_

Tiny flakes of white fall from the sky, and onto the cold December ground. People hurry through the streets, trying to reach their destinations before the snow begins to fall harder. It's a beautiful sight that I never tire of. Philadelphia in winter is my tiny piece of heaven, even if it may not be that peaceful! Christmas arrives in about a week and I have barely had time to sit down, let alone write in this journal Sarah gave me last Christmas.

Currently I am sitting in the chair, by the fire in the print shop. The fire flickers orange and red, casting a certain glow over the room. Sarah is sitting in the middle of the sofa sewing, looking as beautiful as ever, with her red hair glowing in the firelight. The light reflects off her emerald eyes, and I am rendered breathless every time I look in them. Beside her on one side is Clara, who is reading yet another book. Her green-blue eyes scan back and forth quickly across the page. Her blonde hair has yet again come out of its bun and a few strands hang around her face. On Sarah's other side is our youngest, Benjamin, who is fast asleep at this hour. His head rests on Sarah's thigh while his bare feet hang over the arm of the sofa. His red hair is easily visible across the room, and under his closed eyelids are two beautiful emerald eyes. He is still small, not even past the middle of my stomach in height, but he will grow eventually and end up more like his older brother.

I look over the sofa, and see five candle grouped together in the center of the dining table. Sitting in a chair near the candles is James Jr. His red-blonde hair, a mix of Sarah's and mine, is short like the current style. He is hunched over a group of papers and is writing hurriedly. His quill runs up and down the page and side to side. His blue eyes dart across the page and he is biting his lower lip. He hardly stops writing, except when he runs out of ink.

Three wonderful children and an amazing wife; just some of the unbelievable things I've given in my life. Each is a gift that I would never trade, even for the all riches of the world. Because, to me, a man isn't rich by gold or silver, but by the love he has shared and the love he has been given.

The question you are probably asking now is how I received these unbelievable gifts and what battles I fought through to get them. It is a long story, but one full of adventure, hardships, love, and triumph. It is a story that may only be a second in the history of the world, but it is an entire chapter in my life; or if I am to be exact, two years of my life, when I was but a young man of twenty four and twenty five. It was during the years of 1797 and 1798; two of the most life-changing years of my life, next to the year 1791 when Dr. Franklin died.

Many things have happened since then, but all of them happened because of what happened those two years. Those two years I will never forget, and neither will Sarah. But one day we will both be gone, just as dust in the wind. And even though we will be gone, the story of how we came together, how we fell in love, will remain.

It will remain here, here in this journal.

Forever.


	2. Welcome Back

**Here is the first official chapter of A Home Needs Two Things: Family and Love. Please enjoy!**

Chapter 1: Welcome Back (James' POV)

_April 1797_

"James, James!" yelled Moses. I took my gaze from the front window and looked at him. He motioned his head towards the blank paper lying in the printing press and the press handle. I nodded my head and pulled the handle down then back up. Moses pulled the paper off the letters and set it on the pile with the others. He wiped his sleeve across his forehead and sighed.

"That's the last of them," announced Moses with a smile on his face.

"Finally we're done!" I said happily, as I wiped the ink off my hands with my shirt. "Hey Moses, why did it take us twice as long to do these papers?"

Moses laughed at me and shook his head. "James, it took us that long because you kept staring out the window! I know you're anxious to see Sarah after four years…"

It had been four years since I had seen Sarah. Four long years and I missed her. Now that Henri was in France and it was just Moses and I in the print shop, things were rather quiet and lonely. But it would not be much longer, since Sarah decided to come back for a three month visit and to help out in the print shop.

"…but we have work to do. Now help me move these papers to the back!"

Moses and I moved the papers back to the storeroom and then walked back to the front. Just as we got there I heard I knock at the door. I sprinted over to it and opened the door. There in the doorway stood Sarah, and for some reason my heart stopped.

She had changed since the last time I had seen her. She was a bit taller, but now I towered over her. The top of her head could fit under my neck. Her hair seemed redder and shined even more than it used to. Her figure had changed too. She had what I had heard other men call "curves", and her chest was not as flat either. The one thing that had stayed the same was her eyes. They were still that beautiful emerald.

A few moments later Moses cam up beside me and saw Sarah. He smiled politely, but I could see in his eyes that he noticed the changes in Sarah too.

Eventually after my heart started beating again, I managed to stutter, "It's nice to see you again Sarah."

Sarah stifled a laugh with her hand and then she replied with her still present British accent, "Hello James, it is nice to see you as well."

Next she wrapped her arms around my neck in a hug. I stood frozen for a moment, trying to remember what it was like the last time I hugged anyone; but eventually I just let instinct take over. I put my arms around her, above her waist and pulled her close. Sarah rested her head against my chest and I felt her smile.

"It's nice to be back," whispered Sarah.

"It's nice to have _you_ back," I replied, holding Sarah tighter.

Sarah moved her head from my chest and smiled at me, while moving her arms from my neck. Next she walked over to Moses and hugged him. As Sarah hugged him, she whispered something in his ear. Moses nodded his head and let out a bellowing laugh. Then he glanced over Sarah's shoulder at me. I looked at him questioningly, wanting to know what Sarah had said, but Moses shook his head no. I glared back at him, but he ignored me as he and Sarah went into the print shop.

Suddenly I saw a large floral bag flying towards me. I ran out of the way and ducked, as the bag landed not a foot away from me. I looked up; saw a carriage, and a man standing on the back. He waved at me and then tossed Sarah's other bag. I managed to catch it, grabbed the other bag, and followed Sarah and Moses into the print shop.

Once I was through the door, I saw Moses hand disappeared and only Sarah was there. She was walking around by the printing press. She took the clean, white gloves off her tiny hands and ran her fingers along the side. She sighed and continued around to the handle and wrapped her hands around it. She closed her eyes, and I knew she was remembering all the memories associated with that old, dirty press.

A few moments later Sarah looked up and saw me. She walked over to the stairs and we walked up them to her room. As we walked in, she grinned and went from every corner to corner. We had left the room the same way as she had left it four years ago, except we cleaned it every so often.

I set Sarah's bags down at the foot of her bed and turned to leave but Sarah called my name, "James?"

"Yes?" I asked.

She came over to me; and that's when I noticed she was still wearing the locket I made her, from my mother's wedding ring. It hung around her neck and rested at the top of her chest. The gold shined and it looked still new.

"You're still wearing the locket I made," I said, the words just flying out of my mouth.

Sarah glanced down at the locket and wrapped her hand around it tightly. She nodded her head and replied, "Why wouldn't I wear it? A dear friend made it for me; and I could never thank him enough for making it, at the expense of losing something precious to him."

Then I decided to answer with what I would have said when we were younger. "So am I this dear friend or is there some other handsome man making you lockets these days?"

Sarah rolled her eyes, "Not a handsome man, but rather you, a nice boy."

"Boy? I'm not a boy! Sarah I'm twenty-four!"

"Age does not matter James. A male is a man based on his actions and character. And based off the whining you just did, you are still a boy!"

"Sarah!"

"James!"

We both started laughing, and a feeling I hadn't felt in a while came over me.

The feeling of happiness.


	3. Changes

**This is a short chapter, but one with a surprise ending. The next chapter will be longer though. Please enjoy!**

Chapter 2: Changes (Sarah's POV)

I carried two hot plates of food from the kitchen, and set them down in front of Moses and James. Moses and James both whispered a quick thank you. I went back and got my plate, before sitting across the table from James. Moses sat at the head of the table.

"Dinner looks very good Sarah. Thank you for cooking," said Moses as he looked over the plate before him.

"You are welcome, but if I may say I enjoyed cooking dinner again, just like I used to," I replied.

Moses smiled. "Well I can say I am very happy you cooked. While you were gone James did most of the cooking. He nearly burned down the print shop!"

Moses let out a loud laugh. I looked to James and saw a faint blush on his cheeks. He had changed some since the last time I had seen him. He was taller than me now, so much so that the top of my head just reached his shoulders. He had gotten broader in the shoulders as well. His arms and legs looked more built too. But his hair was still long and blonde like the sun; and his eyes still shined that sea blue they always had.

I took a deep breath and looked up to see Moses holding out his hands to say a grace. I took his large, dark, calloused hand. James took his other hand. We then glanced at each other, knowing what came next. James held out his hand for me to take. I slowly set mine into his. His hand easily surrounded mine, and held on tightly. His hand was warm, but a bit rough. Not as rough as Moses', but not soft like mine.

We all bowed our heads as Moses began the grace, and usually I would close my eyes as he spoke. But tonight, for some reason, I could not. Instead, I looked across the table at James, who had his eyes open as well.

As our eyes met, a smile crept onto James' face. His sea blue eyes still held that gleam that they had before, and his smile still made me smile along with him. Oh how I had missed him! James had been my best friend since we were fifteen, and the last few years had been dreadful without him. So much had happened since then. We'd both changed. We'd both grown, physically and mentally. Yet as we stared into each others eyes, it was as if no time had passed at all. It was as if we were still fifteen, and still traveling around America reporting on stories about the Revolution.

But times had changed. Nine years had passed and we were both older. He was taller. I was wiser. He was broader. I was more developed. He was more handsome…

"Amen," said Moses, interrupting my thoughts.

"Amen," replied James and I.

Moses let go of my hand and began eating. James, on the other hand, held onto my hand a moment longer. He squeezed my hand before pulling his away, and letting our fingers slip from each other. I kept my hand there, caught in the fog of my thoughts while James began eating.

After dinner I went up to my room. I closed the door quietly behind me and walked over to my bag. I opened it as quietly as possible, and took out a worn and yellowed envelope. I held it in my hands for a minute, hesitant to open it once again. But eventually, I carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the letter that was inside. I sat down on my bed, and took a deep breath.

I slipped my finger into the letter and unfolded it gently, as I had done a hundred times before. My heart began to ache as I read the first line:

_To my dearest fiancée Sarah,_


	4. The Letter

**My humblest apologies for the late update, but this chapter had to be perfect. Please enjoy!**

Chapter 3: The Letter (Sarah's POV)

_To my dearest fiancée Sarah,_

_I pray that this letter finds you in good health and in blissful happiness. I once again apologize for leaving you so close to our wedding, but I wanted to make sure everything was in order with our land and house. Virginia is beautiful, and I know you will love it here. Oh how I wish you could see this land Sarah! We have five acres of rolling green hills; and our house is two stories and painted as white as the clouds. It has a porch, which wraps around the entire house with rocking chairs on it. _

_As I write this letter I can see you, Sarah, sitting in one of those chairs with a smile playing at your lips. And I also see myself sitting beside you, smiling along with you as the cool summer wind blows your fiery hair. I see three little children running around on top of a hill in the distance. They laugh and giggle together as they swing on a swing that is hung from a tree. The girl has red hair like yours, while the two boys have dark brown hair like my own. They seem so carefree and happy!_

_I cannot wait until we are married Sarah, because then we can make this picture I see in my head come true. We can also make any dreams of yours come true. Whatever you wish for Sarah, I will give you. I just want you to be happy. Nothing can describe the warmth, the love I feel inside when I see your beautiful green shine in happiness; or when your lips curve into a smile. I feel as if I am in heaven!_

_I know our courtship was arranged, and that originally we did not take well to each other. I thought you talked far too much for a woman, and had an ego larger than the ocean. You thought I was arrogant and did not state my own thoughts enough. But as our courtship went on the yelling, throwing of fine china, and cursing ceased. We began to stand each other. Then slowly, we fell in love. _

_I can still remember that first kiss we shared. We were sitting in the parlor of your house, and our chaperone had stepped out for a moment to check on our refreshments. I moved from the far end of the sofa, and sat directly next to you. I took your hands in mine and you smiled. Suddenly a feeling surged through me and I leaned towards you. I pressed my lips to yours, and at first you did not respond. But after a few seconds your lips moved against mine and nothing was ever more wonderful than that moment._

_And now here we are. Our wedding is in a month and I could not be more excited. I hope you are excited as well Sarah. This is the best time of my life. I wish nothing more than to be beside you for the rest of eternity._

_I will return in a few days and once I am back, I will not leave you again until a while after our wedding. I can't wait to see you soon! I love you._

_Your loving husband to be,_

_Thomas_

Tears flowed down my cheeks as I finished reading the letter. My heart ached with a pain that I had never felt in my life before. I set the letter down beside me and collapsed onto my bed. I thought if I could get away from home, then I would not miss Thomas as much. But I was incredibly wrong. The longing to see him had intensified, especially when I saw James.

My sobs became louder and louder. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth, trying desperately to get the pain to stop. I was Sarah Philips. I was stronger than this. No little emotion should be able to have this much of an effect on me. I was a grown woman, not a child. This was not how I should be acting.

I pushed myself up to the edge of my bed and sat there. I took a few deep breaths and stood up. I wiped the tears from my eyes and shook my head.

Suddenly a knock came from my door. I walked over to it as calmly as I could. I reached out for the knob, twisted it, and pulled open the door. Standing in the doorway was James. He gave me one of his smiles and my heart began to hurt again. I fell to the ground and burst into tears.


	5. Anger

**I am apologizing ahead of time for the short chapter, but I wanted to give you something to quench your curiousity over the next week. I will not be able to update again for at least 6 days because I will be on a mission trip. We will be building houses for those who need them. I promise, though, that the next chapter will be twice as long. Now please enjoy, and I hope you have a great week.**

Chapter 4: Anger (James' POV)

I had seen Sarah do many strange things since we met, but I had never seen her fall to the floor sobbing before. After she fell to the floor, I stared at her for a moment waiting for her to get up and brush herself off, but that did not happen. Instead her sobbing just got louder and louder. I sighed and picked up Sarah in my arms and set her on her bed. I backed away after I set her down, and waited for her to calm down, but even after a few more minutes, she was still crying.

What had upset Sarah so much? Was she homesick? The print shop was her second home, so the answer would be no. Had I done something to upset her? No, or at least not yet.

I glanced over at Sarah, and saw she was curled up into a ball. Her dress was wrinkled. Pieces of her hair had come out of its neat ponytail and hung around her face. Tears streamed down her cheeks and dripped onto her bed. Her eyes were glazed over with tears.

Suddenly I saw a sheet of paper beside Sarah. I knew I should not pry into her private matters, but I could not help myself. I had to find out what was bothering her. I grabbed the letter off the bed. I could only read the first line before I threw it across the room.

Anger raged inside of me. I wanted to scream and tear Sarah's room apart. She was engaged! She belonged to another man! I could not be with her! But worst of all, she never told me!

I clenched my fists at my side and tried to calm myself down. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. I should at least let Sarah explain her engagement, and find out if it is arranged, or if she even loves him.

I looked over at Sarah and saw that she was sitting on the edge of her bed. She had stopped crying, though a few tears still lingered on her face. Her eyes met mine and I saw their pain, and I knew she saw the pain in my eyes as well. She patted the spot on her bed beside her and I sat down.

Sarah sighed and then began her story, "It was three years ago…"


	6. Tea Cups and Broken Noses

_Sorry for such the late update. Anything in italics is a flashback. I hope you enjoy this new chapter.  
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Chapter 5: Tea Cups and Broken Noses (Sarah's POV)

I sighed, and brushed a piece of hair out of my face. I looked at the floor as I began my story.

"It was three years ago. My parents had been trying to find me a suitor for multiple years, but they had not found one. They were beginning to believe that I would never marry. Most women in high British society get married before they reached their twentieth birthday. I was twenty-one! So my parents decided to throw a ball…"

_I slowly rose from what felt like the hundredth curtsy I had done tonight. I glanced towards the door of the house, and sighed when I saw that there were still three more guests to greet. I stared at the floor as they greeted Father and Mother, but once they reached me, I lifted my eyes. A young man stood in front of me, in the middle of his bow. I curtsied quickly before standing up as he did. _

_Our eyes met and my breath caught in my throat. His eyes were unlike any others I had ever seen. The outside were a turquoise blue that glowed like shallow ocean water, but inside were a golden color, which shined like the sun. I could not take my eyes from him. His curly brown hair framed his kind face._

_Then the man reached out his hand for mine, and I gave him my gloved hand. He kissed it gently and kept looking into my eyes. After he kissed his hand he smiled and introduced himself, "Good evening miss. I am Mr. Thomas Roberts III."_

_As he stood in front of me, I realized that not just his eyes were handsome. His hair was a rich brown and it curled around his kind face. He was rather tall, with broad shoulders and a warm smile._

"_Miss?" asked Mr. Roberts._

"_Oh," I said, remembering my proper manners. "My sincerest apologies sir, my name is Miss Sarah Philips."_

"_Then thank you, Miss Phillips, for inviting me to your ball. Your house is beautiful."_

"_Thank you Mr. Roberts, I hope you enjoy yourself this evening." _

_With a final smile and a polite bow, Mr. Roberts walked off into the ballroom. I stood there for a moment, regaining my head. How could a man have that affect on me? I had never been breathless or speechless in front of a man before. Why did this happen now?_

"_Good evening Sarah," whispered Mother as she walked to me. She stopped beside me and glanced towards the ball room. "I see you have now met Mr. Roberts. What do you think of him?"_

_I sighed and spoke my true opinion. "He looks rather handsome and he has a nice smile. He was very polite, but his eyes—they were stunning."_

_Mother smiled and nodded her head. "That is wonderful Sarah. I am glad you like Mr. Roberts, considering we will be seeing more of him."_

"_What do you mean Mother?"_

"_Mr. and Mrs. Roberts II, along with your Father and I, have arranged for you two to begin courting."_

"I had never felt so betrayed. My parents had always told me that they would let me find the man who would become my husband," I continued with sadness dripping in my voice. I took a deep breath and put my arms around myself to gain some composure. "I did not see Mr. Roberts for the rest of the ball; in truth I was trying to avoid him. But I did see him again, not even a week later…"

_Mr. Roberts and I stared back and forth at each other from across the room. We were in the middle of Mr. Robert's first call. An hour had already passed, yet nothing had really occurred. When I would try to start up an opinionated conversation Mr. Roberts would state the opinions of others, when I would be looking for his own thoughts. I could not marry a man who could not think for himself!_

_We continued to look at each other, while Mother's head servant, Martha, worked on a ripped shirt in the corner. We were in the sitting room, with a table between us. He was in a chair on one side, while I was on the sofa. Tea sat on the table, but it had grown cold since neither of us wished to get closer to the other._

_I was content for Mr. Roberts to leave, but he continued to stay seated in his chair, just staring at me. My patience was wearing thinner by the moment, so I decided to end this call. I stood up and Mr. Roberts rushed to do so as well. _

"_Thank you Mr. Roberts for coming to call on me today, but I am quite tired and ready to retire. Martha will see you to your horse," I said quietly before I headed to the door._

_As my hand touched to door knob, I felt another hand grasp my arm. The hand jerked me around and suddenly I was face to face with Mr. Roberts. His eyes no longer looked gentle and kind, but wild with anger. His hand continued to grasp my arm harder and harder. I cried out in pain, but no one came to help me._

_Mr. Roberts threw me back onto the sofa. I landed against the sofa with a thud. My back felt on fire. I looked up and he stood before me shouting, "This call is not over until I say it is over Miss Phillips! You will not tell me what to do either Miss Phillips! Is that understood?"_

_I stared up at Mr. Roberts as he towered over me, glaring at me. I slowly stood up and with all my courage stared at him, and screamed, "No I do not understand Mr. Roberts! I am not a woman you can order around! And this bloody call is over because all we have done for the last hour is stare at each other!"_

_Then I put my hands on Mr. Roberts' chest and pushed him. He lost his balance and fell backwards, tripping over the table. The tea china crashed to the floor, along with Mr. Roberts. The cold tea seeped into the white rug, as Mr. Roberts stood up slowly. Now he looked even more furious than before._

"_You little slut," he whispered as he picked up two tea cups. He threw them at me, but they missed and broke against the wall behind me._

"_At least I'm not a bastard," was all I was able to say before he charged towards me. I glanced around me for something to protect myself with. I saw a china plate, picked it up, and threw it towards him._

_The plate hit Mr. Roberts in the nose with a snapping sound. Then plate fell the ground and smashed into pieces. While the plate shattered, his nose began to bleed. The blood ran down his face and dripped slowly onto the white carpet._

_Suddenly the doors to the sitting room burst open. Father ran in with Mother on his heels. He surveyed the room quickly, taking in the scene before staring directly at Mr. Roberts. He yelled out the door and two servants entered and began to tend to Mr. Roberts. Once he was being taken care of Father took a deep breath before yelling, "SARAH PHILLIPS!"_

"I had never seen Father any angrier than he was that day. Mother as well. I had actually broken Mr. Robert's nose! My parents made me apologize to him the next day and made me sit through another one of Mr. Robert's calls that afternoon. But that call went much better than our first…we only cursed at each other a few times!"


	7. An Engagement

**There are no excuses for this late update, but I do hope you enjoy this chapter. Happy Holidays!**

Chapter 6: An Engagement (Sarah's POV)

As I continued on with my story, I watched James for his reaction to what I was telling him. Most of the time he looked me in the eyes, but at other times he looked away and he seemed as if he wished to run away from me. No matter his reaction though, I continued on:

"After a dozen more calls from Mr. Roberts, we began to become affectionate towards one another and eventually that affection molded into something else…"

"_Ms. Phillips you are quite the nature lover. I have yet to meet any other woman like yourself, who enjoys long rides on a horse through the woods," said Mr. Roberts as he stepped down from his horse. We had just finished a long ride through the woods around my family's estate and had decided to sit down for awhile._

_I smiled as he walked over to my horse and set his hands on either side of my waist. I could feel the warmth of his hands through my dress, and I felt a blush begin to creep across my face. He lifted me easily from my horse and set me down gently on the ground._

"_I will have you know, Mr. Roberts, that I am a unique and independent woman, who finds joy in the things that most women deem as for men only," I stated as I stared at him._

_Mr. Roberts smirked at me before removing his hands from my waist and tying our horses to a nearby tree. After he was done he returned with a blanket, which he spread over the ground in the clearing we were in._

_ I kneeled onto the blanket, while Mr. Roberts laid down on his side. He propped his head up on his hand and his blue-gold eyes stared at me. My heart began to beat faster as he reached a hand out to me. I slowly took his hand and he pulled me closer to him. When I was only a foot away from him, he sat up and kneeled in front of me, his hand never leaving mine. _

_ We sat in silence for a few minutes, just staring at each other. His eyes scanning me, and mine scanning him as well. Then gradually, he moved his free hand off his thigh and up towards my face. Gently, his hand came to rest on my cheek. His fingertips stroked my cheek and my heart beat even faster._

_ "Ms. Phillips," he whispered softly, "You are so beautiful and you are so unlike any other woman I have ever met."_

_ "Thank you Mr. Roberts," I replied as the blush on my cheeks began to spread down my neck. He smiled kindly and titled my face up so I looked him in the eyes._

_ "You are welcome Ms. Phillips, but I did not bring you out here this afternoon to merely compliment you. I have asked your father for your hand in marriage, and he gave me his consent, along with your mother's…"_

I stopped my story for a moment because I knew what was coming next. I looked to James who was staring at the floor with his hands bunched into fists. He was breathing faster and my head told me to stop telling him this story, but my heart told me to continue on. My heart told me that he needed to know, so I listened to my heart. I closed my eyes and was instantly transported back into the moment…

_"So, Ms. Phillips, will you do me the blessed honor of becoming my wife?"_

_ My eyes widened and my heart stopped. What was I to say? This man who knelt before me was a man who I had hated, and yet come to love. Should I marry him? I was young and there were plenty of young available men. But could any of those men capture my heart as this man had? Once I answered that question, I knew my answer._

_ "Yes, Mr. Roberts, I will become your wife," I answered confidently._

_ Mr. Roberts sighed and smiled even bigger than he had before. He removed his hand from mine and put it on my other cheek. Then he pulled my face closer to his and our lips met. It was not the first kiss we had shared, but it was the most passionate. His lips moved against mine and I felt complete. I moved my hands from my lap to rest on his broad chest. My head spun and my stomach flipped. After a few more moments we pulled apart breathing heavily._

_ Suddenly Mr. Roberts dropped his hands from my cheeks and got off of his knees. He stood up stretched his arms and next he sat with his legs crossed in front of him. He reached for me and lifted me into his lap. He wrapped his arms around me and held me to his chest. He buried his face in my hair and took a deep breath. I closed my eyes for a moment and just enjoyed the feeling of his arms around me._

_ "Ms. Phillips," said Mr. Roberts in my ear. His breath tickled my skin and I opened my eyes. "Ms. Phillips, since we are now engaged to be married, may I call you by your first name?"_

_ "Yes Mr. Roberts, you may call me Sarah, but only if I may call you by your first name as well," I replied._

_ "It sounds like a wonderful idea to me Sarah. Please call me Thomas."_

_ "Thomas."_

_ Thomas smiled, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. "Say it again Sarah, please."_

_ "Thomas."_

_ Thomas opened his eyes and kissed my forehead. "Oh God, I love you so much Sarah!"_

_ "I love you too Thomas," I whispered back before he crashed his lips to mine once again._

I stopped talking and looked over to James. He had not moved an inch since I had started speaking again. His breathing was even heavier than before and his face was bright red. I set my hand on his shoulder, but he shook my hand off his shoulder. That was when I saw the tears running down his cheeks and falling onto the floor. I set my hand gently on his face and wiped away a few tears. Suddenly he let out a muffled sob. He then jumped off my bed, opened the door, and ran out of my room.

I shook my head and fell back onto my bed. My eyes began to water and I knew that my suspicions had been correct. James did have affection for me, and I had just told him I was engaged. Tears next began to roll down my own face. I did not know whether the tears were for my fiancée, for James, or for the truth that had yet to be uncovered.


	8. Three Little Words

**Hope you enjoy this new chapter! Thank you for reading! I do not own Liberty's Kids.**

Chapter 7: Three Little Words (James' POV)

I ran. Just like a coward Tory, I ran. I managed to get into my room and slam the door behind me before my tears blurred my sight.

SHE WAS ENGAGED! I never imagined that three little words could hurt so badly.

I leaned back and pressed my back into the wood of the door. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to get control of myself. I was better than this. I was a man. I shouldn't be crying. Sarah was just a woman, and there were plenty of other women out there. I could just find another one.

I needed to find a woman who was smart; a woman who was strong, yet beautiful. I needed a woman who could take care of herself, but also didn't mind letting me take care of her. I needed a woman who could write, and had an opinion about the things around her. I needed a woman who had long hair, so I could run my fingers through it when we kissed. I needed a woman who had eyes that lit up when she saw me. I needed a woman who was loyal to her family and to her beliefs. I needed a woman who had a voice like no others.

I needed Sarah.

I wiped the tears from my cheeks with the back of my hand. I knew I had to do something if I wanted to get Sarah, but what could I do? What did I have to offer her that her fiancé Thomas couldn't give her? The answer was nothing.

I walked over to my bed and fell back onto it. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to sleep, hoping that it would drive all my problems away…

_A pair of lips moved lovingly against mine, while a pair of hands held my face. The thumbs of those hands gently stroked the skin of my cheeks. My hands rested on the woman's waist, holding her against me. I felt the warmth of her body through my own clothes, and it only added to the warmth I felt inside._

_Soon enough, the other pair of lips left mine and I opened my eyes, wanting to see whose lips had been on mine. At first all I saw a pair of emerald green eyes that looked back at me with a great amount of love. Slowly though, the rest of her face came into view. _

_Her skin was pale, but not as white as snow. Her cheeks were a brilliant red, and a blush was quickly spreading across her face. Then I saw her hair, her fiery red hair; and no matter how old I got, I would never forget the woman who had that fiery red hair. Sarah._

_Sarah smiled at me and pulled my face back closer to hers. She looked deeply into my eyes before whispering my name, "James."_

"_Yes Sarah?" I answered, wondering what she had to say._

"_I have to tell you something."_

"_What is it?"_

_ She paused for a moment before whispering, "I love you."_

_ I love you. Those three little words made my heart leap and my blood race. Three little words, oh the power of those three little words! I pulled Sarah even closer to me and crashed my lips to hers. This kiss was not gentle. It was a kiss of relief, of excitement, and of hope. _

_ When we pulled apart a few minutes later, a smile covered my face. I held Sarah's hands in my own and said what I'd always longed to tell her._

_ "Sarah I love…."_

"…you," I finished with a smile on my face. But when I opened my eyes, Sarah wasn't in my arms. I was back on my bed, looking up at the real Sarah, who looked confused.

"What are you talking about James?" asked Sarah as I sat up on my bed.

I shook my head and groaned, first from having to see the real Sarah, and second from being awoken from my dream.

"I was talking in my sleep Sarah. I don't even know what I was saying," I lied.

Sarah nodded her head and then took a seat beside me on my bed. She reached out to take my hand, but I jumped off my bed and stood in front of her.

"What do you want Sarah?" I asked angrily, wanting Sarah to leave me alone as soon as possible.

Sarah frowned at me and sighed. She looked down at the floor before replying somberly, "I wanted to finish telling you my story. You never heard the ending."

That was when my anger and jealousy got the best of me. "The ending! I know the ending! You are going to get married soon! That is the ending! There is no need for you to tell me the ending because I already know it!"

Suddenly Sarah jumped onto her feet and stood chest to chest with me. She glared into my eyes before saying, "James Hiller you do not know the ending of my story! If you would sit down and be a proper gentleman for once you might actually find it out!"

Gone was the shine and glimmer from Sarah's eyes. Instead her eyes were dark and dim, and narrowed in a sharp glare at me. I decided to listen to Sarah and I sat back down on my bed. Sarah followed and sat next to me. She took her left hand and set it on my knee.

"I want you to look at my hand James," said Sarah softly. "Do you see an engagement ring on my finger?"

I quickly looked down at Sarah's hand on my knee. There wasn't anything on it. All I could see was her pale but beautiful skin. I grabbed her hand off my knee and felt over all her fingers. The skin was smooth beneath my fingers.

I looked up at her confused and asked, "Then you aren't engaged to Mr. Roberts?"

Sarah shook her head and sighed, "Yes, I am no longer engaged to Mr. Roberts."

I nearly jumped off the bed at what Sarah said. She wasn't engaged! I had a chance! I smiled and grasped Sarah's hand tightly in mine. I tried to look Sarah in the eyes, but she was staring at the floor. That was when I saw a line of tears going down Sarah's cheeks. I reached my hand out to touch her cheek, but she pushed herself away and stood up. Sarah turned her back to me and sobbed quietly.

I jumped up and went over to Sarah. I turned her towards me and put my hands on her shoulders.

"Everything will be okay Sarah," I whispered. "I don't know how any man could refuse to marry you."

At that comment, Sarah's head snapped up and I saw the true pain on her face.

"Thomas did not refuse me," stated Sarah looking at the floor.

"What?" I asked.

"Thomas did not refuse me, James. Our engagement was annulled."

"Why was it annulled? And where is Mr. Roberts now?"

Sarah quickly took a deep breath before looking deeply into my eyes. She opened her mouth and whispered another three powerful words.

"Thomas is dead."


	9. Care

**I do not own Liberty's Kids. Please enjoy this new chapter and I will try to get another one up within the next week or so. Thank you.**

Chapter 8: Care (Sarah's POV)

_"Thomas is dead."_

The words flew past my lips. Those three little words had haunted me for the last six months. They had brought me so much heartache, so much pain; I did not know why now of all times those words took no effort to be said. Possibly, I was getting over my grief for Thomas faster than I had imagined. I highly doubted that though. I had loved him. He was to be my husband, the man I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with. He was supposed to be the father of my children, our children. But he was gone. Thomas Roberts was dead.

The letter James had seen was the last letter Thomas sent me. The last words he ever said to me. Those words floated into my mind constantly now. Little phrases of the love we had, "_I wish nothing more than to be beside you for the rest of eternity."_ His hopes for our future together, "_I see three little children running around on top of a hill in the distance. They laugh and giggle together as they swing on a swing that is hung from a tree. The girl has red hair like yours, while the two boys have dark brown hair like my own."_ Those words never left me.

The words that haunted me the most were not those written by Thomas. They were written by the man who found Thomas. He sent a letter along with Thomas' body when it returned home to be buried. In it he explained how Thomas had died, how his life had been cut short.

_Dear Ms. Sarah Phillips,_

_My name is John Rogers. You do not know me, and I am sorry that we must meet on these terms. I am saddened to say that your fiancé, a Mr. Thomas Roberts, died on a road in Virginia yesterday. _

_You are probably wondering about his death, so I will tell you all that I know. I was riding on the road through the woods yesterday, when Mr. Roberts went riding past me on his horse rather quickly. It had just stopped raining and the road was muddy. As Mr. Roberts rounded a bend in the road, his horse slipped in the mud. The horse struggled to gain its footing, and began to move violently. Mr. Roberts tried to hold on, but he was thrown from the horse as it fell to the ground. He flew through the air and landed on the side of the road. _

_Once I realized what happened, I slowed my horse, got off, and ran to him. He was face down in the mud and not moving. I rolled him onto his back and saw that where his head had been, was a large rock. His forehead was covered in blood, and he was barely breathing. I tried to help him as best as I could ma'am. A few minutes later a wagon came by. We moved him into it and raced him to the doctor. The doctor tried his best, but it was too late. Mr. Roberts was gone a few minutes after we arrived. _

_Afterwards, I went back to where Mr. Roberts fell off his horse and I found his saddlebag. In it, I found your letters, and I thought it would be best if you knew exactly how your fiancé died. _

_It is a horrible thing to lose someone you love ma'am. My wife died last year, and I know the heartache you are probably feeling now. Just find peace in knowing that he went quickly, in little pain, and that he was surrounded by people who wished him well. He is now in God's hands ma'am. Be thankful for that._

_Sincerely,_

_John Rogers_

I wish I could have found comfort in John Rogers' words when I first read his letter. I did not though. I cried. I locked myself in my room for two days, refusing to see anyone or take any food offered to me. Tears stained my face for weeks after that. The funeral was a blur to me as well. The preacher's words never reached my ears. All I saw was the wooden casket with a black blanket draped over it. All I remembered was how my heart ached when I watched the men lower the casket into the ground and cover it with dirt. Cold, uncaring, dark dirt.

Suddenly I felt a pair of arms wrap around me. I opened my eyes and saw that James was holding me tightly against him. His hands rubbed my back as more tears began to flow. I buried my face into James' chest and cried. James set his head on top of mine and hummed a tune, trying to comfort me. As the tears fell from my cheeks, I felt the warmth of James' body against mine and realized how much I had missed having someone hold me; how much I had missed knowing that someone out there cared for me.

I realized how much I needed James.


	10. Learning to Love Again

**There is no excuse for such a late update, but hopefully this chapter will make up for it! Please read and review! I enjoy hearing from each of you! Happy Belated Thanksgiving! I do not own Liberty's Kids.**

Chapter 9: Learning to Love Again (James' POV)

Sarah was going to be the death of me. I know it sounds crazy, but I think it's the truth. As I held Sarah in my arms, it didn't matter to me that she was crying over a dead fiancée. All that mattered, was that she was in my arms and I got to hold her close to me. The warmth of Sarah's body seeped through her clothes, through mine, and then hit my skin like the warmth of a giant fire. My hands roamed down her back, and the feeling of her body against my fingertips was enough to get my heart racing. The feeling of Sarah's smooth hair against the usual roughness of my cheek, drove my senses crazy.

Sarah's tears continued to drip onto my shirt, so I hummed the tune to a song Doctor Franklin used to sing to me when I got upset. I closed my eyes, let the song overtake me, and for one moment I was a child again. I was a child, and Doctor Franklin was standing before me with a smile on his kind face and a twinkle in his eyes. I could see every wrinkle on his face, see the hair on his head, smell the mix of ink, sweat, and something else I could never name. For a moment there was nothing wrong in the world. It was just me and Doctor Franklin. Nothing else mattered. I watched as Doctor Franklin kneeled and stretched his arms out to me. I began to run towards him, with a smile on my face and my arms wide open. But suddenly my thoughts were interrupted.

"James," squeaked a familiar female voice.

I opened my eyes and saw that Sarah's head was no longer under mine. Instead, Sarah was looking up at me, with her hands on my chest, and the tears were gone from her eyes.

She weakly smiled before saying, "Thank you."

I smiled even bigger than I had been before. "It's nothing Sarah."

Sarah shook her head, "No, James. It is quite a bit more than nothing. It is very kind of you. And...I understand how hard it is on you."

What was Sarah saying? What did she mean when she said "I understand how hard it is on you"? I had to find out.

I looked Sarah in the eyes and asked, "What do you mean?"

Sarah looked away and bit her bottom lip. She shook her head and put her face back against my chest. I moved one of my hands from her back, placed it under her chin, and tilted her head up to look at me. Our eyes met and I saw the power and strength in those emerald eyes. I saw the endurance she had to have to be able to keep living life. Yet I also saw the weakness and pain in her eyes. I saw the woman who had to bury the man she thought she would spend the rest of her life with. I ignored the weak side though. The strong Sarah would prevail. She always has. Always will. So I just waited for her to get her strength and speak.

And I was right. The strong Sarah came through. She looked me in the eyes again, before whispering something I never expected:

"James, I know you have feelings for me."

I tensed up and my face turned red. What? How did Sarah figure it out? I thought I had covered up my feelings so well! What was Sarah going to think of me now? How would she treat me? Would our friendship be over? So many questions were flying through my head, and I just couldn't stand it. I pushed Sarah away from me and turned my back to her. I couldn't face Sarah now. I covered my face with my hands.

I felt someone grab my shoulder and turn me around. They gently took each of my hands and moved them from my face. I opened my eyes and saw Sarah looking at me.

"James, there is nothing to be ashamed of," admitted Sarah, with a smile on her face. She squeezed my hands before continuing, "I find it quite flattering...because I have feelings for you as well."

My eyes shot wide open and I pulled Sarah closer to me. I rested my hands on her hips and she placed her hands on my shoulders. I couldn't believe what Sarah said. She had feelings for me! I could jump up and down and yell at the top of my lungs. I felt amazing. Yet, I had to make sure Sarah was telling the truth.

"Is it true?" I asked.

Sarah nodded her head, "Yes, I do have feelings for you. When I first saw you in the door of the print shop, my stomach felt different and my heart beat faster. I could not believe you did not notice it!"

I laughed, but the voices in my head where not so trusting. So I asked Sarah one final question, "What about Thomas? Am I just a substitute for him?"

Sarah shook her head and moved her hands to hold the sides of my face. Emerald green met sea blue, and I knew whatever she said next would be true.

"You and Thomas are nothing alike James. Where you like hard work, he did not. You do not mind getting dirty, he did. You have flowing blonde hair, he had brown. You never have caused me any harm, while he threw china at me." Sarah stopped to laugh a moment, and then continued. "But it is not that physical differences that matter to me. What I am trying to say James, is that I have feelings for you and only you. My feelings for you are blooming and getting stronger every moment I'm with you. I am still upset about Thomas, but it is not so much out of love for him, but for sadness of a young life so wasted. We've both seen enough death, James. Now, it is time for us to find some happiness. I want to find my happiness with you."

I stood there speechless. What could I say in response to that? I wasn't sure, but I was going to try my best.

I set my hands on top of Sarah's and whispered, "I want to find happiness with you too. I'm willing to let us take our time, but this is great! You've made me happy today."

Sarah smirked before replying, "I believe I know how to make you happier."

Suddenly, I watched as Sarah leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine so gently. My arms wrapped around her and pressed her against me. Sarah pulled my face closer to hers, our lips pressing harder against the other. My head was spinning and I felt my blood racing through my body. I had been waiting for this moment for years. And it had finally arrived!

We broke apart for air, but touched our forehead together. We listened to each other's deep breathing. Sarah was the first to recover and she said, "I was correct, was I not?"

I shook my head and squeezed Sarah in my arms, "For once Sarah, I don't mind saying that you were right."


End file.
